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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26787328">Unnoticed</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pkmntrainer_alex/pseuds/pkmntrainer_alex'>pkmntrainer_alex</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>OTPtober 2020 - Niji x Aspen (OC) [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Mafia AU, Emotional Edging, F/M, Holding Hands, Slow Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:56:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>509</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26787328</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pkmntrainer_alex/pseuds/pkmntrainer_alex</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Aspen had always loved holding hands, and had long since run out of people to hold hands with. Standing at the front of the crowd at the grand opening of one of the Charlotte Family’s new bakeries, she suddenly feels fingers lacing with hers - and darts her eyes to her side to see the second son of the Vinsmoke family.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Vinsmoke Niji/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>OTPtober 2020 - Niji x Aspen (OC) [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948870</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Unnoticed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <b>Day 3 [SFW] - Holding Hands<b></b></b>
</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Aspen was lucky it was so cold, and that she’d worn her heavy woolen coat. The sleeves were long, even after having been tailored to fit her small frame, and it cloaked her hands almost completely. Unless someone took a very close look, it would be almost impossible to tell that Niji Vinsmoke was holding her hand in his.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“He isn’t even looking at me.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> He was facing forward, towards the large stage where Miss Linlin - no, Big Mom, that’s what everyone called her - was giving her opening day speech. She was flanked by her children on both sides, and some of them hadn’t even bothered to conceal the weapons they carried. It was hard for anyone to look anywhere else when there were guns right out in the open - so, like the rest of the crowd, Niji didn’t look away from the stage, or give any indication he was aware of Aspen’s presence at all. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Maybe it was just a mistake.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>That had to be it, and the thought quelled the temporary spike in her blood pressure. Aspen made to pull her hand away…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...only for Niji to pull her back more insistently, gripping her hand in his. Out of the corner of her eye, she seems a wide smirk spreading across his face, his teeth bright in the winter sun.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Or not.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Her pulse jumped again, and she could feel her face flushing. How very forward of him, doing such a thing in a packed crowd. After their last few run-ins, Aspen was sure that her handlers were beginning to grow suspicious of the two of them together - to say nothing of his own family. If anyone saw…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aspen glanced around, keeping her motions slow and subtle. Just as before, everyone was watching Big Mom. Aspen’s own bodyguards could only stare at the massive Charlotte family matriarch as she spoke excitedly, her children either grinning or jerking their weapons lightly if they didn’t like what they saw. Mayor Cobra and his daughter, Miss Vivi, watched with everyone else. Sir Crocodile and his assistant, Robin - though Crocodile looked more wary of the scene than celebratory. The Donquixote family had gathered too, for this, and it was the only time in recent memory that Aspen didn’t hear a sound from any of them. All eyes were on Big Mom and the rest of the Charlotte family gathered around her. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That meant nobody was watching her and Niji.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She shifted in her coat, urging her sleeve further down her wrist to engulf both their hands fully. Blocked from sight, she could feel his fingers stroking against her hand and giving her goosebumps. Aspen stood rigid for as long as possible, ignoring his insistent bids for her attention - any attention - before finally caving, and repeating his motions back. If those were the sort of shenanigans he wanted to play at, well...she supposed things could be stranger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still facing the stage, she saw his smile grow wider still - and Aspen’s face felt strangely hot in the frigid winter air.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“How strange.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
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